LOS ANGELES — From its conception in 2014, LAFC has always boasted a bounty of celebrity owners and supporters. From soccer legend Mia Hamm to actor Will Ferrell, the boxes at Banc of California Stadium are often filled with a circle of well-known stars. But perhaps the most powerful owner influence this season has been Magic Johnson, an owner who has quietly helped to cement the club in the community of Los Angeles.
Johnson knows a thing or two about the city of Los Angeles. An NBA All-Star and Hall of Famer, he played all 13 of his seasons for the Lakers, winning five NBA championships. At different times, he’s been an owner of the Lakers, the Dodgers and the Sparks.
As far as sports are concerned, Magic is Los Angeles. He represents the golden era of Los Angeles basketball and towers as a social and business figure. So when he announced his commitment to join the LAFC team, locals knew what it meant — the new team officially had a Los Angeles seal of approval.
Johnson was there during the construction of the team’s brand-new stadium, and soaked in the first win and its thrilling free kick goal from the sideline. Although Johnson has been fairly outspoken on social media, he hasn’t been as visible an owner as others, such as Ferrell. Yet his influence has been clear throughout the team’s first season in MLS.
Need an example? Just take a look at the tight relationship already being woven between LAFC and the Lakers, undeniably the most important team in the city. From the beginning, Johnson has worked to have the two teams support one another on and off the field and court.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as hooking up the LAFC captain with a uniform. That’s what Johnson did last week, gifting a LeBron James jersey. A video of Carlos Vela unveiling the new kit, welcoming Lebron to Los Angeles and inviting him to a future LAFC game was posted on the team’s social media pages.
.@11carlosV and #LAFC are ready to #StartTheShow with @KingJames and the @Lakers! pic.twitter.com/PYLGQGqmhw
— LAFC (@LAFC) September 26, 2018
It might seem like a small gesture, but Johnson knows the power of the Lakers stretches far in this city, and the simple act of giving Vela a brand-new LeBron jersey goes a long way to continue increasing familiarity between fans of the two teams.
That influence has now extended to the crown jewel of the Lakers latest surge back into relevance — James himself. As he transitions into becoming the new leader for Los Angeles basketball, James has worked to ingrain himself into the fabric of his new city, and adopting LAFC has been one of his steps to becoming a true local.
In the weeks since his trade was finalized, James’ has posted pictures of all three of his children in LAFC jerseys, even showing his youngest son flaunting his black-and-gold jersey on the first day of school.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmyQ_wonLyX/?taken-by=kingjames
What does the support of LeBron mean to the city of Los Angeles? That’s hard a question to answer in a city that painted murals for its new star only to see them vandalized hours later. James’ relationship with Los Angeles — a city built by the Showtime Lakers and Kobe Bryant — is complicated. But Magic is an icon here, and his continued support for the team will help to build relationships both ways, creating Lakers fans out of LAFC fans and vice versa.
Combined with the team’s robust efforts toward community outreach, LAFC has already latched onto the pulse of Los Angeles. With an average announced attendance of 22,048 per game, the team has the eighth largest fanbase per game in the league, averaging roughly 2,000 fans less than the LA Galaxy despite being in its first season.
Johnson isn’t the only cause for this popularity, but it’s quickly becoming clear — sports in Los Angeles belong to Magic, and LAFC is benefitting greatly.